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Reviewer:
Mind Wondrin -
Subject:
The famous Warfield/RCMH monster shows
The Fall '80 Warfield/RCMH complaints seem to be of two types:
*They repeated too many songs
*The format was too different
Yes kids, if you did 15 shows in a row you got beaucoup repeats. Try 15 shows, in say, the (great) years '68 or '72. The format was intentionally different. The band wanted some styling agitation and thought it would be fun to have an intimate setting, fomenting tighter songs. Bill and the team set up some total (bi-coastally engineered!) uniqueness. It wasn't an Arista aquiescence. One of the working ideas was a 15-year mark, special reward for the fans. They weren't hoping for some permanent formula, just having some jolt. Jeez, complaining when things aren't routine enough? What kind of Gr8tfl thang is that? In my alternate uni I wanna catch just 1 night, even, of this awesome duo-run experiment.
Bucky, these were full, two-electric-set shows. They just had a bonus acoustic set and took place in an upscale, downtown vaudeville theater (this was before the seats were removed; you've seen both the run poster and the famed champagne-toast pic, right? Next door to the Crazy Horse...). Shit, this one's 35 songs and lasted over 4 hours! I don't see how that's wasteful. It's not like they were angling for intentional posterity here - this wasn't a band that operated in that paradigm. Cheers, friend.
Glen, plus-one on your story 'cause it put me at the shows. I watched pretty blue-gold skirted spinners in the lobby, whiffed patchouli, weaved tracers in time with my hands aloft & smeared onto the grouphead dynamic. The Cosmic Wimpout story is funny. Truthiness: people did that at runs all through the 80s, too.
Reviewer:
The TRUE Bucky -
Subject:
A Few misconceptions
@ Utah:
I agree with most of what you're saying about the recording of the live albums, but for 'Franklins being pulled out of Help/Slipknot'. This occurred not in 1980 for these albums, but way back in 1977 when the Dead stopped playing this suite of music for 6 years and simply played Franklins solo. It had nothing to do with cutting the music down to size.
While everybody seems to get 'excited' over these acoustic runs, the fact is, aside from being the base for breaking out some great material that had been shelved for years like China Doll, To Lay Me Down & Birdsong, the electric magic & musical peak the band was at coming off the recently completed summer tour~! and immediately returned to in Florida & the Fox Theatre over Thanksgiving & Long Beach several weeks later can only leave one imagining what 24 shows of electric musical adventure (as Phil would call it) would have been like at The Grateful Dead's peak of playing from 1977 to 1989. Instead, it was wasted on acoustic ditties. What a shame.
Reviewer:
John Bouffard -
Subject:
posting
to come back later
Reviewer:
Dylan M -
Subject:
Let It Grow>Wheel>Music
Nice Extra effort. I don't know how many 1st set Wheel's exist in the Brent era. Very few i'd imagine. Nice to see some extra effort, especially with the acoustic 1st set being extra effort already. Could have easily ended 2nd set w/Let it Grow. Warfield 10/1980 run in the shiz-nit!
Reviewer:
utah3 -
Subject:
Reality and rant
The reality of thses shows and the Radio City shows was that the band was interested in recording a live album based on 2 releases. The acoustic and electric sides of the Dead. The acoustic stuff was great because we didn't have a point of reference to judge most of them by. With the electric sets, they were trying to be more compact and percise with the songs so they could turn these into "album sized" material.
They had signed with Arista in 77 and had not had much commercial success with Terrapin and Shakedown. So when Go to Heaven had some real success, Arista was pressuring the Dead to come through with some Live material for the next ones because they wanted to capitalize on the success of GTH.
They decided to do 2 releases acoustic and electric. The concept was great but when the Dead are trying to produce magic and not letting the free form flow it makes for a watered down experience. As they always said "we always blow it on the big stuff". The spontaneous nature was kind of scrapped for the more studio-like live experience.
Franklin was pulled out of the Help, Slipknot trio in an effort to commercialize it. Alabama, Althea, Lost and Saint were done constantly to provide listeners with live versions of the last studio album GTH. Just to site a few examples.
They have long admitted that trying this formula really didn't work almost alienating the live Head show goers in return for a broader appeal.
But the older I get listening to them now in 2007, I realized I had never given these shows much of a chance when I was much younger knowing the facts as I laid out for you here.
But you know what? These shows have really grown on me and actually are quite good if you just try and judge it on the finished product and realize the pressure they were under to make this work. They were re-inventing themselves again in 80 with a new keyboard sound and new vocalist in Brent and they didn't have time for him to learn all the older catalog until later.
I could go on and on and I have been doing this Dead thing since 1969 in Philly. My peers are always asking me when I will grow up and out of this Dead thing. HA! Let's hope that doesn't happen and that this community will continue to press on with catalogs and forums such as this. I love every minute of it!
I'm not trying to act like a know-it-all about this stuff, it's just that I lived it. I reference all historic shit in my life with tours and Dead memories. The hostage crisis in Iran, I was first row in Philly on 11/5/79 when I heard the news. I only attended Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipper holidays if the Dead were not playing on those nights. It got to the point where my family knew if the Dead were less than 4 hours away on those days I would not be coming. Shit like that. I'm sure there are plenty of you out there who know exactly what I mean.
I'm done.
Reviewer:
gleng1 -
Subject:
Learn Ye These Lessons:
Pig, I understand!
Learn Ye These Lessons:
1. Set lists lie. (How many times have you heard an incredible show that had a boring set list, and vice-versa? Right!)
2. Tapes lie. (How many times have you been to an incredible show and then heard a tape of it that just doesn't tell the story, and vice-versa. Right, right!)
I was at the Warfield in '80 (I think I missed just one or two from the entire Warfield run).
Some random notes:
These were funny shows. I mean, the good news is that the Warfield is a small hall (especially compared to the hockey rinks and arenas the band had started to play) and the acoustic sets were a genuine treat. Even got to be an usher one night, although I can't remember exactly how that came about.
I think the bad news here (such as it is...) is that the hard-core deadheads (which at the time included me...) were trying to see every single show. (In spite of a lot of wacky passive-aggressive nonsense from the heads at the time: "Oh, you got in to tonight's show? I didn't get in -- I stood outside in the rain all night -- but I'm so happy that YOU were inside! If i had gotten a ticket, I would have given it to you.")
ANYWAY... the downside here (besides the challenge of actually trying to get in every night) is that the hard-core was waiting for magic every night, and my own opinion is that the Dead were looking more for the feeling of your local bar band -- you don't go every night; you drop in when you can for a relaxed time.
Because the theater is so nice, they were VERY strict on behavior -- no dancing in the aisles or seats. Bill Graham (bless his heart...) DID put up speakers in the hallways so we could dance AND hear, but that's always a funny choice -- there you are, standing in the light by the refreshment stand, dancing to the music coming out of some nice but tiny speakers while inside the real magic is taking place.
In addition they were making an album of this (Dead Set) and while it could certainly be my imagination, it sure FELT like they were working on a album -- the set list from night to night was very similar, and I couldn't help but feel when the umpteenth version of Terrapin or I Need A Miracle was played that it was basically, "OK, roll the tape -- take 7!"
On this, the last night of the Warfield run, the hardcore was expecting SERIOUS mojo (read: Dark Star or St. Stephen or...). One of the long-suffering tour-heads (Keith?) was wandering around with a handful of stickers from the old board game Cosmic Wimpout. "They better not wimpout tonight!" Sure enough, when the band started to play U.S. Blues he slowly started to peel the stickers off the roll and place them on the linen-covered walls before security grabbed him.
(I also seem to remember Bill Graham throwing two of the regular doseheads out of the show one night for fucking on the main staircase during the show! Luciano tried to stop him: "C'mon Bill -- she's fucked-up and he's just fucked!" but Bill was unswayed. "So? What am I supposed to do -- give them a medal?")
Even crazier, one or two people decided to skip this show entirely so they could start hitchhiking to New Orleans (two nights later) on the theory that it would be the first show the Dead had played in New Orleans since they were busted there years ago. ("Busted! Down in New Orleans! Set up...") and New Orleans would be THE show. (Skip a show so you can catch a show? Always a dubious strategy...)
One of my best memories of this run is how hard Bill Graham and company worked to make it special for everyone, including having a different message on the theater's marquee on most nights, so as you were walking out you would see something such as,
IF I KNEW THE WAY
I WOULD TAKE YOU HOME
All this wrapped around my odd efforts to be an '80s hippie/street person, before realizing that while I still loved the shows and would continue to go until the end, the space-doggie lifestyle was just not for me.
Glen
Reviewer:
Burnt Rich -
Subject:
Most WORTHLESS review yet!!!!
Pigpen83....you officially win my award for the LOSER reviewer of the month club......sorry it can't please you--peak of popularity!!?? What in the...?? If Jerry doesn't come back as the Messiah in another few years--are you gonna knock him for that, too??
This show is SOOOO GREAT!!!! The LIG>Wheel>Music Never Stopped is a real treat!!!! But come on, over 30 tunes in 1 night. Good night Irene!! Thanks for the effort on that one Good Ol' Grateful Dead!! For those looking for more jam--34 songs--think about it, THIS SHOW IS A MARATHON!! NOT A FIFTY YARD DASH!! SAVOR IT!!
Scarlet>Fire is jamming right now.. GRRRRR, BABY!
Reviewer:
cosmicTraveller -
Subject:
no jam???
i dont know what that dude is talkin about but i hear much jam out in this show. perhaps they are not as far out as they were in the 70's but shit, for 1980, heck even for any year of any band in time, this show is hot!!! not the best, but definitley put a smile on my face. big thank you to the Dead for being so kind.
Reviewer:
spacface -
Subject:
Forgot , to jam?
Even though 80 is not my favorite year, this show is an energetic gem. The second set closing jam (LIG>Wheel>Music) is just the sort of weirdness I love. I mean, c'mon, The Wheel that doesn't come out of Space? Estimated>Terrapin is pretty cool, too.
Reviewer:
PigPen83 -
Subject:
Grate List
This show has an awsome set list. But it no wonder the dead were not at peak popularity around this time. The show has such potential, but Jerry and the rest of the gang are phoning this show in. Jerry doesn't quite speak the vocals but he doesn't sing them either. They apparently forget to jam this show. They don't lose a song to a jam and magically find it again as only the dead can do... the simply play them... They just lack the usual soul.... great set list ruined....
Reviewer:
L. Rosley -
Subject:
Solid 4
Enjoyable show, solid vocals. Not exceptional, though. I wish the acoustic set had better audio quality. It improves, later, fortunately.
Reviewer:
MotherNature'sSon -
Subject:
most excellent
i don't care what anyone says. Scarlet Begonias-> Fire On The Mountain is the greatest thing ever
Reviewer:
smgarcia -
Subject:
The play 35 songs
one of the longest shows ever. They play so many songs. You can take this to a desert island and have 10% of all the songs they have ever played. Why am I giving this a 1? I don't know. Bring down the average, maybe?
Reviewer:
Hraefn -
Subject:
Incredible time, incredible show
My first Dead show on acid, front row, fifteen years old. I still have dreams about this show, which is really quite a blessing. My memories are of crazy colors, bizarre hallucinations, and incredibly soulful tunes. Although it was not technically my first show, I still actually consider it to be. It was awesome!
Reviewer:
Enlightened Deadhead -
Subject:
Dead Set/Reckoning
Acoustic set is a little like tin. The Electric shines well with pretty dern stellar versions of a lot of classic tunes, including a great second set. This year is interesting for it being the middle of the dead, the mean, mode, and the median. Garcia's guitar and emotion are outstanding. The band doesn't rush, they just let the songs flow out. Can you imagine a 15 night run of the Dead at the Warfield? Sounds like pure heaven even bordering on overindulgence.
Reviewer:
DEADBUCK -
Subject:
Maine bound
I am leaving for ME tonight and cant wait to spend the six hours starting off with this for my head. I am sampling it now and cant wait to get the whole show in.... I just dont know what I will do tomorrow for an encore...lol...This does sound great and may just be what your doctor prescribes...what a mindbender this would have been in the front row...to all of you...IM jealous!Congratulations. 4.97 stars
Reviewer:
pnc -
Subject:
Don't Pass This Up
The quality of the acoustic set sucks, but the SBD of the 2nd and 3rd sets are about the best quality recordings I've found on The Archive...very nice levels, almost no hiss at all...just sweet to listen to. Thank you!!!
The Estimated>Terrapin is sick...
Reviewer:
hyperboy -
Subject:
HOLY MOLY!!!!!!!
What a MONSTER setlist!! I have never seen a setlist quite like this. There are so many "2nd setters" here it's almost ridiculous! 5 stars for both setlist and performance....but the last two tunes are not from the same source. Too bad b/c I can tell US Blues is killer!
Reviewer:
capn doubledose -
Subject:
Gets better as it picks up steam
This is a sizzler folks - check out the hottest US Blues ever right here... Dew is superb, in fact the whole Set II is great. Go get it.
Reviewer:
Dedik8d -
Subject:
This was a magical night
The 15th night of nearly consecutive shows at the Warfield. It was my birthday and I had a front row ticket. The theater was amazingly decorated by Bill Graham and was incredible. I made it to 5 of the 15 shows. They energy in the place on the 15th night was magical and intense. A few drops of the right potion and it was perfect and fun, and people just being ecstatic with the friends and music they loved so much.
Reviewer:
gd4ever -
Subject:
never mind
please ignore/delete - I typed the wrong thing
Reviewer:
birdsgosouth -
Subject:
Ahhh....thisn
I remember many moons ago seeing this setlist in deadbase and thinking that this was an absolute killer. the setlist is totally outrageous, esp. for 1980, which is not terribly varied.
This show let me down though. It seems like they are kind of on autopilot until they hit morning dew, which is pretty great. Is it me?? I've listened to the entire show a couple of times, this board sounds great, I'm just not hearing a ripping show here. It's not bad, I'll give it a 4 for the ridiculous setlist.
Is this the show where everyone toasts the band at the end of the show? Sounds like it from the Bob & Jer comments before US Blues (which is dang decent AUD - maybe someone could post the entire electric set in this format???)
Reviewer:
muchabrats -
Subject:
5 Stars
The soundboard part sounds awesome. I'm waiting for the rest of the show to be posted with this quality.
Reviewer:
StrawRider -
Subject:
Five Skulls for 10-14-80 Electric Set
This is my favorite electric Warfield set available here at the Archive. A fine companion to the ever-so regretably commercial Dead Set. The sound and the set list are outstanding. This show and the one from the Fox Theater on 11-30 are my two top choices for 1980. Both have incredible Scarlet-Fires.
For the acoustic sets, I went from 10-2 to 10-13 and pieced together a Reckoning companion as well. You also can find some good shows in Radio City, NY for this time period but this Warfield show stands above those that are available here,IMHO.
I also recommend 5-16 from Nassau for another killer Dew and try out Oakland's 12-28 NYE warmup show.
Reviewer:
brendanmcauley -
Subject:
Rare DEW!
Thi sshow is the real deal. The sound quality is great but I use one show as the ultimate in sound quality and that is 11.8.79 right here in the archive.
Thsi DEW is very rare. It was the last and 4rth of 1980 and the first sicne 11.8.79- the only of 1979. The previous to that was 4.15.78. So thsi was the 6th DEW in over 3 years.
This version is very kind.. see for your self.
Also, love that scarlert fire. The jam is soo spacey and long. It justw hat I was looking for.
Check out 11.8.79./ You will se that the NFA>DEW is the best quality ever! And the first dew in 19 months.
This show gets 4 stars.
Reviewer:
Crazy Fingers -
Subject:
Finally
I've been waiting for this one for a LONG time. One look at the songlist will tell you why you should spend the time to acquire this show. And this SBD sounds pretty crisp. I haven't listened to the AUD acoustic set yet, but the electric sets are where the real fireworks are anyway.
One minor quibble: This must have been tracked for 74 minute discs. The last two songs of the first electric set are tracked for the start of disc 3. So even though the whole first set will fit on an 80 minute disc, there is a tiny gap between the end of 'Let it Grow' and the beginning of 'The Wheel'. Nothing earth-shattering, but it is somewhat distracting and a little annoying.
Other than that, this is a great addition to the archive.
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